RECREATION SPORTS GROUND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 232, 10 March 1915, Page 3

RECREATION SPORTS GROUND

COMMITTEE SHORT OF FUNDS. REVIVAL IN SPORT NEEDED. The deputation which waited upon iiPukekura Pari: Board on Monday nigiu in reference to the indebtedness of the Recreation Sports Ground Committee to the Board for rent comprised Messrs A. Ij. Humphries, J. and R. 11. George. Mr Humphries said the purpose of the deputation was to make some 'proposals regarding the back rent, but so far as they wore concerned the committee hail no money, and therefore could make no oiler. He pointed out tliat when the ground was taken over they guaranteed to spend £BOO on the main contract work, whereas the sum of £2131 10s had actually been expended in the first four years —made up of £2oB 10s the first year, £IOB3 the second, £533 the third, and £234 ill the fourth year. Consequently it took a great deal of time to raise this money, and the result was that they had exhausted the patience of the public after making so many appeals. They then decided to give the matter a rest for a time, but in the meanwhile the two seaside societies were formed, and there were few opportunities of raising the money for the Sports Ground. Another thing was that the revenue had gone off very considerably, and wliereas it was no uncommon thing to get gates of from £4O to £BO at ordinary football cup games, the attendances now could not be compared with those qf a few years ago. The revenue lately had been about '£oo, of which amount £SO was paid to the Rugby Union, whilst interest on the loan was also paid. Their liabilities were £IOO to the New Zealand Rugby U'nion, and another hundred to different people in town, whilst there was also the rent. It was felt that the committee had exhausted itself, and the idea Was to give the young people of the district a chance of carrying on the work which they had begun. A suggestion was made to call a meeting of citizens and to ask for tile co.operation of the seaside committees in raising the necessary money. By this means they would get probably £4OO, but no proposition could he laid before the Board at present. If the young sporting people were not prepared to carry on the work, then they would ask the board to let them have the property for another two years, in order to have time in which to raise the required money. Mr M'Leod pointed out that when the lease expired in 1913 the committee took steps to raise the necessary money "to clear themselves, but in the meantime another function almost exactly similar to the one they liad proposed was hold in aid of the band. Then the war broke out, and they had reluctantly to that it was impossible f ' _ u j. ori ai! y scheme to.raise £ m. In the last few t n' e re had been no athletic , nt, New Plymouth, and foot-. - linn Ida, ball receipts had gone entirely tiotl of IvZ.R.U. debt. All sorts of local institutions had—very properly—applied for the use of the ground free, and from these functions, one after the other, no revenue was received, and in most cases the committee was not even thanked. If they had been running'it as a busihess venture they would have charged for its use, but the public would not have thought any better of them for doing so. Mr Percy Smith asked if there was any reason to hope for an increase in the revenue.

Mr McLeod replied that a special reason was that various classes of sport went in cycles, and it was more than probable that after the war there would be a great boom in football.

Mr Humphries stated that everything depended on flic class of players engaged in the game. Half a dozen Brilliant men would get the public, but unfortu. nately tlie stanuarii of play lately had not been of the best. The great trouble was in the lack of a universal half-holi-day, but he understood there was every hope of attaining this object very shortly. This wouM Tie a 'great thing for sport as at present everything was cut up, whifst with only the one holiday they would be able to get far more footballers) Uetter players, and consequently ! i higher standard of play. Mr R. C. Hughes pointed out that the !ease was entered into by Messrs A. L. Humphries and Jas. Clarke, who were jcrsonally liable for the rent. The board lad a right to re-enFer, but the ques. •ion was as to the desirability of doing 10. The ground was in a sordid condiion, the banks were worn away and here was no control at all o v er the pubic, who were allowed to climb and slide [own the terraces without being checkd. Tlie terraces would soon be in a ■cry bad state, whilst some of the steps sading up to them were falling away, flagstaff also hail not been attended o. It appeared to him that the raemicrs of the committee, in asking for an, ther two years had thought not o much of the beautification f the grounds as their feeling f obligation to the Rugby Union, t did riot seem to him a fair proposal hat they should wait another two ■ears, with the same conditions existing, n order to earn money to pay tTie iugbv Union, and tlie ground then handd over to the Tioard to do its best with, ['he sporting club could better afford to ose its money than the RoarcJ could to lave tlie ground thrust into greater dis'l'der.

Mr McLeod said they could rest assured tliat tlie Rugby Union would exact its pound of flesh, and call 011 the guarantors. Mr Humphries said the committee felt just as much as the Board the necessity for keeping the glwiiltls from Jack and ruin. Some of tlienl had spent to £2O per year out of their own pockets to keep it in order. .They would re. member that when the ground was first taken over it was in very great disorder, and the committee, although not tryin;; to excuse themselves, were responsible for some great improvements which also affected the park to no small decree. Tliev bad, however, to give up bleeding the public and he thought it was up to tlie younger men to rise to the occasion. The chairman said they all recognised that the ground when first taken was certainly in ft deplorable state. The committee had done very valuable work which the Board would probably never have undertaken itself, but there was 110 doubt that tlie place had been going back during the last two or three years. TTe had met" Mr Clarke, who recognised his responsibility in that the money was a personal liability. It was suggested that tlie around lie handed back to the

board, and a certain number of days allowed to the committee to hold sports or other gatherings with which to liquidate their liabilities. At present tlie public were continually complaining at the had state of the ground and 011 going into the matter with the curator lie had agreed that the little revenue derived would serve, to keep an extra man on the ground itself, so that it would be maintained in good condition. TTo could also be employed in other parts of the iParl; when all his time was not required on the Sports Ground. If any other proposal was brought forward, however, he would ho pleased to sup-

port it, as lie would not like to see the people lose their money. Mr McLeod said the plaii3 for im. iroving the grounds had not yet been ully carried out, for the reason he had '.[ready mentioned —that the committee forestalled in holding its entertainnt. They were still 111 touch with .. Lints, the carnival organiser, The . aibcrs of the committee would will■:ly hand over the ground if it was .jar of debt. A member said lie quite appreciated the dillicultiea of the committee, but lie was not satisfied with the position. Twelve months ago the matter had been brought up but even now they were no nearer finality—in fact, fiiey were further away, as they had been asked to wait another two years. Mr JTewman said that on his part he was very pleased to hear that the Rugby Union debt had beefc so much reduced and providing a tacit assurance were given that the ground would be kept in good order lie would be in favor of letting tho committee retain the property until the whole of the debt was paid off. Mr Hughes moved that the matter be deferred until next meeting. The chairman thought this was the best plan so that all the pros and cons could be thoroughly threshed out. The committee was not so far behind, if only some scheme could be propounded. The Board would assist in every way, because it was not so much a matter of taking over the grounds as of seeing that they were kept in good order. The motion was seconded and earrle'd and the deputation withdrew.